Booster Gold

Michael Jon "Booster' Carter was born in the 24th
century on Earth. Carter played football in college
and had a promising career as a professional player,
until his mother fell ill from a rare disease. Unable
to afford the expensive procedures required to cure her,
Carter resorted to gambling to make the money, even
betting on his own games. He eventually was discovered
and barred from the game in disgrace.

Essentially a thief whose motivation for heroics was
cash, Gold was able to establish himself as a hero, rather than a villain
because of a good PR campaign and keeping many of those facts from the public. Booster
lost his financial empire due to bad management and the plots of
his enemies.